Automatic action toy glider-kite string flyer

ABSTRACT

A folding wing toy glider is suspended from and rides up a kite string, propelled by the wind acting upon the vertical surface of the down-folded wing, until the glider strikes a stop, causing the wing to fold horizontally by momentum, assisted by a rubber band or spring tension. The fluer descends the kite string under the influence of gravity until it contacts a lower stop whereupon momentum snaps the wing back to its original vertical position, assisted by the rubber band after the wing has rotated about 40 degrees. The flyer then again starts up the kite string and this cycle is repeated automatically as long as desired.

United States Patent [191 Battles AUTOMATIC ACTION TOY GLlDER-KITE STRING FLYER Inventor: Willis nannies; 560 s. Helberta I Ave., Redondo Beach, Calif.-.90277 {221 Filed; July'14, 197.1

Appi.No.:162,529

52 us. Cl. "244/1551: 51 In Cl; .5. as 31/06 58 FieidofSearch ..24'4/1ss R, 153 R,

[56] "References Cited v i UNITED STATES PATENTS 563. 66; 6/1896 Rogersut... 244/1551:- 1,620,991 v 3/1927 Brown... 244/155 R 2,475,213 6/1949 fNis's en... 244/155 R 2,833,497

Young 244/155 R [1.11 3,752,424 Aug, 14, 1973 Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examinere-Paul E. Sauberer [57] ABSTRACT A folding wing toy glider is suspended from-and rides up a kite string.'propel1ed-by the wind acting upon the vertical surface of the down-folded wing, until the, glider strikes a stop, causing the wing to fold horizontally by momentum, assisted by a rubber band or spring tension. The fluer descends the kite string under the influenceof gravity until it contacts a lower stop whereupon. momentum snaps the wing back to its originalvertical position. assisted by the rubber band after the wing has rotated about 40 degrees. The flyer then again starts up the kite stringand this cycle is repeated auto-- ,m'atically as long as desired. i

6Claims,3Drawingl-igures AUTOMATIC ACTION TOY GLIDER-KITE STRING FLYER FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in a device that flies up and down a kite string and is non specifically related to a simplified mechanism for causing the reciprocal up and down flight to take place repeatedly and automatically under the influences of the forces'of wind, momentum, and gravity when the mechanism contacts stops at each end of the kite string.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART Typical kite string flyers have been described such as in U.S. Pat. No. 2,041,233 issued to Cutshall (1936) which uses a vertically disposed wing, folding back to back upon release of a latch, releasing a freefloating parachute and permitting the carrier to slide back- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A prior patent of mine (U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,857 issued to Willis R. Battles on 8/03/71) utilizes an automatic reset of the wing by a pivotally mounted disc to which is attached the wing. The present invention represents a simplification and improvement of the automatic reset mechanism by positioning a pivot point off center from the center of wind pressure and center of gravity of the wing surface when in the vertical position and utilizing a resilient bias means to keep the wing in a horizontal or a vertical position. The advantages are a lighter, simpler, and faster kite string flyer that will operate in light breezes and be subject to fewer mechanical difficulties.

Specific features of the device are that the chord of the wing is mounted at right angles to the axis of a simple pivot positioned at the side of the gliders fuselage. The glider can be suspended from the kite string by a roller wheel and positioned by two rings or eye hooks of which that ring rearward of the wing is extended further above the dorsal side of the fuselage than is the ring on the forward side of the ring. The net effect of the unequal distance of these rings from the kite string is to make the flyer fuselage non-parallel to the kite string and lower the center of gravity of the wing below the line of flight and the pivot point. When theflyer makes contact with the lower stop on the kite string duringdescent, the wing begins rotation from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane due to the momentum imparted to the wing by this lowered center of gravity.

A simplified toggle action latch using a rubber band bias assists the wing in holding its horizontal position during its descent and in rotating to a vertical position as follows: In the horizontal or descending position, tension of the rubber band is above the pivot point and holds the wing horizontally. After contact with the lower stop, the wing begins rotation to the vertical position, under the effect of inertial force acting at the center of gravity of the wing. As the line of tensile force of the rubber band moves below the pivot point of the wing, this tensile force exerts a downward pull on the wing and completes the rotation to a vertical position.

In addition, a simple pivoted lever mounted to the side of the fuselage is activated by being struck by the wing as it rotates from the vertical to the horizontal position. This lever includes a pin extending through a BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The device is described in detail in reference to drawings as follows:

FIG. I is a three quarter pictorial view of a kite string glider embodying the principles of this invention showing the position of the flyer body in relation to the kite string and the mechanism of the rubber band latch.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the kite string glider with the wing shown in profile releasably held in the upward position horizontal to the fuselage and activating the lever for releasing tethered objects.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the kite string glider showing a spring loaded rod as an alternative to the rubber band or tension spring for operating the toggle action latch. The rod is illustrated in the horizontal position of the wing by broken lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The fuselage structure I of the kite string glider is of any material that is light and rigid such as wood, molded plastic, or channel shaped aluminum. The depth and width are optional as well as the length but may be determined by the overall weight required of the glider to cause it to descend rapidly down the kite string, while not being too heavy to climb the kite string under the action of the wind. The depth and width should be sufficient to journal a pivot pin 5.

The, dorsal side of the fuselage has a roller wheel 24 disposed above the fuselage by plate 25 fastened to the side of the fuselage at a position whereby front eye hook 10 is relieved from heavy frictional contact with the kite string. This position can be approximately one quarter of the length of the fuselage from the nose but may vary relative to the weight of the wing and the position of the center of gravity of the device.

The upper side of the fuselage also has two split rings or eye hooks 9 and 10 made of smooth plastic or steel, disposed above it and secured to the fuselage structure. One of these split rings 9 is mounted in proximity to the tail end of the fuselage and one, 10, is mounted in proximity to the nose. Ring 9 projects approximately twice as far above the fuselage as ring 10. This lowers the tail end of the fuselage in relation to the kite string 21 and also improves the relative angular position of the wing relative to the direction of the wind when the wing is in its vertical position.

The wing structure 2 is a single sheet of light weight material such as, for example, plastic or wood and has a large surface area and a low weight so as to propel the glider up the string against the force of gravity when propelled by a light wind. The wing may have reinforcing ribs or rolled beads for stiffening. A reinforcing doubler 3 is affixed to the wing surface in a plane perpendicular to the chord at the leading edge of a frontal central cut out fuselage-receiving portion of the wing. Attached to this doubler 3 is a mounting bracket having a pair of apertured laterally spaced apart ears which extend at right angles to the plane of the wing and parallel to the chord. The apertured ears of mounting bracket 16 carry the pivot pin 5 which acts as the mounting fulcrum for rotatably securing the wing to the fuselage. The wing rotates on the pivot pin 5 limited in the vertical position by contact of the leading edge of the cut out portion of the wing with the ventral side of the fuselage and limited in the horizontal position by contact of the reinforcing doubler 3 with the ventral side of the fuselage. These stops allow the wing tofreely move through an approximately angular distance of 90. It should, of course, be understood that other types of stops could be used. The geometric center and the center of gravity of the wing is displaced rearward of the pivot point.

The means of assisting the wing to snap into and hold in either of the two positions alternatively consists of a toggle action latch using an elastic band 7 affixed to the side of the fuselage by pin member 8, disposed near the nose of the fuselage. With the wing in a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 2, direct tension of the elastic band between the wire hook 6 and the pin member 8 acts as a force on an arm above the pivot point of the wing 5 and holds the wing horizontally. When forward ring 10 contacts a lower kite string stop, inertial force acting on the center of gravity of the wing at an angle below the fuselage and line of flight of the glider causes the wing to rotate downward in a counter-clockwise direction. As soon as the elastic band 7 passes below pivot point 5 during this rotation, the elastic band tension acts as a force against the leading edge of the wing at notch 4 and along wire hook to the wing 2, to aid the wing in its rotation to a vertical position and helps hold it down in this position. Thus when the wing is in the generally horizontal position, the moment exerted by the elastic band 7 is less than the opposite moment exerted by inertia when the glider abruptly stops at the bottom of its travel. The leading edge of the wing and doubler contains a notch 4 into which the elastic band 7 drops, this notch being deep enough to permit sufficient tension on elastic band 7 to hold the wing down in vertical position with the correct tension for proper operation of the automatic toggle action for and upward flight of the glider. Thus all forces exerted by the elastic band develop a moment that pull the wing to the vertical position and oppose wind exerted rotational movement of the wing to the generally horizontal position until the glider stops, as will be explained subsequently. However the moment exerted by the force of elastic band 7 is less than the opposing moment exerted by the wind acting at the center of area of the wing plus the inertial forces developed through the center of gravity of the wing when the glider stops abruptly at the top of its travel on the string, as will be explained later in more detail.

Another method of holding the wing in one of two positions alternatively is shown in FIG. 3 as a compression spring '19 held ina tubular holder 20 having one end mounted at or proximate to the trailing edge of the wing 2. A rigid rod 118 contacts one end of the compression spring and has the other end pivotally mounted to a plate 17 that is anchored to the side of the fuselage. As the wing rotates from the vertical to the horizontal position as illustrated by broken lines, as a result of a force exerted against it, the rod 18 slides into the tubular holder 20 and compresses the spring 19 until a midpoint angle is reached. Then the spring expands and returns to its more expanded condition as the wing reaches the horizontal position. This same compression-expansion operation also occurs as the wing 2 moves from the generally horizontal position to the generally vertical position. As with wht elastic band embodiment, the wing 2 is subjected to the same dynamic and wind forces.

An improvement over prior methods of holding additional toys such as a parachute or simulated bomb is a lever 12 consisting of a wire pivotally mounted on a pivot point 14, at one side of the fuselage. One end of lever 12 contains a pin 11 extending through an aperture in the fuselage a short distance above the dorsal side of the fuselage at a point near the tail of the glider, when in the raised position. Forward of the pivot point 14, the wire has a curved portion 13 for contacting the surface of the wing as the wing moves from the vertical to its horizontal position. A pin stop 23 prevents the lever from rotating further than necessary to drop pin 11 below the dorsal surface of the fuselage. it should, of course, be understood that other types of stops could be used.

In use, a kite (not shown) is flown on a kite string 21 of any material but preferably low friction orlon, nylon or silk. The glider is attached to the string by passing each of the split ring eye hooks 9 and 10 through the string and rotating until the string is contained within the ring, and passing the string beneath the roller wheel so that the roller wheel supports most of the weight of the glider. The wing is initially placed in a vertical position by rotating it downward from the fuselage 1. The elastic band 7 will hold it in this position while the wind exerts force against the surface of the wing and the glider will ascend the kite string until ring 9 strikes an upper stop on the kite string. The force of this sudden stop rotates the wing to the horizontal position due to the combined forces of inertia, the wind, and the action of the elastic toggle action latch. As the wing moves to the horizontal position, it contacts the curved portion 13 which rotates the lever 12 about the pivot point 14 and retracts pin 11 below the surface of the fuselage, releasing any object held tethered to the glider by pin 11. As the glider then descends the kite string, it gains momentum until ring 10 strikes the lower stop with sufficient impact to force the wing into the vertical position caused by operation of the forces of inertia resulting from the center of gravity of the wing being located below the line of flight, and also the tension of the elastic band 7. This cycle is thereafter repeated automatically.

I claim:

1. A toy glider operable to travel up and down an inclined string such as a kite string between an upper and lower stop comprising in combination:

a. an elongate fuselage member;

b. guide means including two string receiving members disposed in spaced apart positions over said fuselage member and being operable to freely receive the string;

c. wing means for operating aerodynamically;

d. pivot means secured to said wing means at a position displaced from the center of gravity thereof and secured to said fuselage member for pivotally mounting said wing means to said fuselage for rotation on a transverse axis between a generally horizontal plane and a generally vertical plane;

and toggle action latch means including a resilient member being coupled between a stationary posi' tion relative to said fuselage member and one end of a member fixed on said wing, the one end being displaced from the plane of the wing and displaced from the pivot axis, said resilient member being operable to develop resultant force vector to rotatably bias said wing means to the generally horizontal position when the angle of attack of said wing means is less than a predetermined angle and to ro tatably bias said wing means to the generally vertical position when the angle of attack is greater than a predetermined angle, the bias force being within a range insufficient to stop said wing member from being pivoted from the generally vertical angle of attack to the generally horizontal angle of attack in response to wind forces developed against and inertial forces developed by wing means when the toy glider is abruptly stopped by the upper stop and insufficient to stop said wing means from being pivoted from the generally horizontal angle of attack to the generally vertical angle of attack in response to inertial forces developed by the wing when the toy glider is abruptly stopped by the lower stop, the moment on said wing means developed by the inertial forces resulting from the abrupt stops at the top and bottom stops being sufficient to overcome the opposing moment developed by theresilient member when said wing means is in the generally vertical angle of attack and the generally horizontal angle of attack respectively.

2. The toy glider of claim 1 in which the axis of said pivot means is displaced forward of and above the center of gravity of said wing means.

3. The toy glider of claim 1 in which the said string receiving member disposed toward the rear of said fuselage member is disposed at a position higher above the top of said fuselage member than the other string receiving member is, for further lowering the center of gravity below the pivot axis relative to the direction of toy glider travel.

4. The toy glider of claim 1 in which said member on said wing means for receiving one end of said resilient member projects above the top surface of said wing means to position the force vector of said resilient member above the pivot axis'when said wing means is in the generally horizontal position and below the pivot axis when said wing means is in the generally vertical position.

5. The toy glider of claim 4 wherein said resilient member is disposed relative to the leading edge of said wing member to contact said leading edge and stop the moment arm from exceeding a predetermined length when said wing means moves to said generally vertical position.

6. The glider of claim-5 in which said wing means includes a cut out portion disposed at the center and leading edge thereof for receiving said fuselage member and said resilient member when said wing means is in the generally vertical position. 

1. A toy glider operable to travel up and down an inclined string such as a kite string between an upper and lower stop comprising in combination: a. an elongate fuselage member; b. guide means including two string receiving members disposed in spaced apart positions over said fuselage member and being operable to freely receive the string; c. wing means for operating aerodynamically; d. pivot means secured to said wing means at a position displaced from the center of gravity thereof and secured to said fuselage member for pivotally mounting said wing means to said fuselage for rotation on a transverse axis between a generally horizontal plane and a generally vertical plane; e. and toggle action latch means including a resilient member being coupled between a stationary position relative to said fuselage member and one end of a member fixed on said wing, the one end being displaced from the plane of the wing and displaced from the pivot axis, said resilient member being operable to develop resultant force vector to rotatably bias said wing means to the generally horizontal position when the angle of attack of said wing means is less than a predetermined angle and to rotatably bias said wing means to the generally vertical position when the angle of attack is greater than a predetermined angle, the bias force being within a range insufficient to stop said wing member from being pivoted from the generally vertical angle of attack to the generally horizontal angle of attack in response to wind forces developed against and inertial forces developed by wing means when the toy glider is abruptly stopped by the upper stop and insufficient to stop said wing means from being pivoted from the generally horizonTal angle of attack to the generally vertical angle of attack in response to inertial forces developed by the wing when the toy glider is abruptly stopped by the lower stop, the moment on said wing means developed by the inertial forces resulting from the abrupt stops at the top and bottom stops being sufficient to overcome the opposing moment developed by the resilient member when said wing means is in the generally vertical angle of attack and the generally horizontal angle of attack respectively.
 2. The toy glider of claim 1 in which the axis of said pivot means is displaced forward of and above the center of gravity of said wing means.
 3. The toy glider of claim 1 in which the said string receiving member disposed toward the rear of said fuselage member is disposed at a position higher above the top of said fuselage member than the other string receiving member is, for further lowering the center of gravity below the pivot axis relative to the direction of toy glider travel.
 4. The toy glider of claim 1 in which said member on said wing means for receiving one end of said resilient member projects above the top surface of said wing means to position the force vector of said resilient member above the pivot axis when said wing means is in the generally horizontal position and below the pivot axis when said wing means is in the generally vertical position.
 5. The toy glider of claim 4 wherein said resilient member is disposed relative to the leading edge of said wing member to contact said leading edge and stop the moment arm from exceeding a predetermined length when said wing means moves to said generally vertical position.
 6. The glider of claim 5 in which said wing means includes a cut out portion disposed at the center and leading edge thereof for receiving said fuselage member and said resilient member when said wing means is in the generally vertical position. 